beasts have pulled him off and clubbed him。 Let him lie； we can't do
him any good； but we may save her from the worst fate that can
befall a woman。〃
We ran frantically down the path； which wound among the trees。 We
had reached the shrubbery which surrounded the house when Holmes
pulled up。
〃They didn't go to the house。 Here are their marks on the left…
here； beside the laurel bushes。 Ah！ I said so。〃
As he spoke； a woman's shrill scream… a scream which vibrated with a
frenzy of horror… burst from the thick； green clump of bushes in front
of us。 It ended suddenly on its highest note with a choke and a
gurgle。
〃This way！ This way！ They are in the bowling…alley；〃 cried the
stranger； darting through the bushes。 〃Ah； the cowardly dogs！ Follow
me； gentlemen！ Too late！ too late！ by the living Jingo！〃
We had broken suddenly into a lovely glade of greensward
surrounded by ancient trees。 On the farther side of it； under the
shadow of a mighty oak； there stood a singular group of three
people。 One was a woman； our client； drooping and faint； a
handkerchief round her mouth。 Opposite her stood a brutal；
heavy…faced； redmoustached young man； his gaitered legs parted wide；
one arm akimbo； the other waving a riding crop； his whole attitude
suggestive of triumphant bravado。 Between them an elderly；
gray…bearded man； wearing a short surplice over a light tweed suit；
had evidently just completed the wedding service； for he pocketed
his prayer…book as we appeared； and slapped the sinister bridegroom
upon the back in jovial congratulation。
〃They're married？〃 I gasped。
〃Come on！〃 cried our guide； 〃come on！〃 He rushed across the glade；
Holmes and I at his heels。 As we approached； the lady staggered
against the trunk of the tree for support。 Williamson； the
ex…clergyman； bowed to us with mock politeness； and the bully；
Woodley； advanced with a shout of brutal and exultant laughter。
〃You can take your beard off； Bob；〃 said he。 〃I know you； right
enough。 Well； you and your pals have just come in time for me to be
able to introduce you to Mrs。 Woodley。〃
Our guide's answer was a singular one。 He snatched off the dark
beard which had disguised him and threw it on the ground； disclosing a
long； sallow； clean…shaven face below it。 Then he raised his
revolver and covered the young ruffian； who was advancing upon him
with his dangerous riding crop swinging in his hand。
〃Yes；〃 said our ally； 〃I am Bob Carruthers； and I'll see this
woman righted； if I have to swing for it。 I told you what I'd do if
you molested her； and； by the Lord！ I'll be as good as my word。〃
〃You're too late。 She's my wife。〃
〃No； she's your widow。〃
His revolver cracked； and I saw the blood spurt from the front of
Woodley's waistcoat。 He spun round with a scream and fell upon his
back； his hideous red face turning suddenly to a dreadful mottled
pallor。 The old man； still clad in his surplice； burst into such a
string of foul oaths as I have never heard； and pulled out a
revolver of his own； but； before he could raise it； he was looking
down the barrel of Holmes's weapon。
〃Enough of this；〃 said my friend； coldly。 〃Drop that pistol！ Watson；
pick it up！ Hold it to his head。 Thank you。 You； Carruthers； give me
that revolver。 We'll have no more violence。 Come； hand it over！〃
〃Who are you； then？〃
〃My name is Sherlock Holmes。〃
〃Good Lord！〃
〃You have heard of me； I see。 I will represent the official police
until their arrival。 Here； you！〃 he shouted to a frightened groom； who
had appeared at the edge of the glade。 〃Come here。 Take this note as
hard as you can ride to Farnham。〃 He scribbled a few words upon a leaf
from his notebook。 〃Give it to the superintendent at the
police…station。 Until he comes； I must detain you all under my
personal custody。〃
The strong； masterful personality of Holmes dominated the tragic
scene； and all were equally puppets in his hands。 Williamson and
Carruthers found themselves carrying the wounded Woodley into the
house； and I gave my arm to the frightened girl。 The injured man was
laid on his bed； and at Holmes's request I examined him。 I carried
my report to where he sat in the old tapestry…hung dining…room with
his two prisoners before him。
〃He will live；〃 said I。
〃What！〃 cried Carruthers； springing out of his chair。 〃I'll go
upstairs and finish him first。 Do you tell me that that angel； is to
be tied to Roaring Jack Woodley for life？〃
〃You need not concern yourself about that；〃 said Holmes。 〃There
are two very good reasons why she should； under no circumstances； be
his wife。 In the first place； we are very safe in questioning Mr。
Williamson's right to solemnize a marriage。〃
〃I have been ordained；〃 cried the old rascal。
〃And also unfrocked。〃
〃Once a clergyman； always a clergyman。〃
〃I think not。 How about the license？〃
〃We had a license for the marriage。 I have it here in my pocket。〃
〃Then you got it by trick。 But； in any case a forced marriage is
no marriage； but it is a very serious felony； as you will discover
before you have finished。 You'll have time to think the point out
during the next ten years or so； unless I am mistaken。 As to you；
Carruthers； you would have done better to keep your pistol in your
pocket。〃
〃I begin to think so； Mr。 Holmes； but when I thought of all the
precaution I had taken to shield this girl… for I loved her； Mr。
Holmes； and it is the only time that ever I knew what love was… it
fairly drove me mad to think that she was in the power of the greatest
brute and bully in South Africa… a man whose name is a holy terror
from Kimberley to Johannesburg。 Why； Mr。 Holmes； you'll hardly believe
it； but ever since that girl has been in my employment I never once
let her go past this house； where I knew rascals were lurking； without
following her on my bicycle； to see that she came to no harm。 I kept
my distance from her； and I wore a beard； so that she should not
recognize me； for she is a good and high…spirited girl； and she
wouldn't have stayed in my employment long if she had thought that I
was following her about the country roads。〃
〃Why didn't you tell her of her danger？〃
〃Because then； again； she would have left me； and I couldn't bear to
face that。 Even if she couldn't love me； it was a great deal to me
just to see her dainty form about the house； and to hear the sound
of her voice。〃
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃you call that love； Mr。 Carruthers； but I should
call it selfishness。〃
〃Maybe the two things go together。 Anyhow； I couldn't let her go。
Besides； with this crowd about； it was well that she should have
someone near to look after her。 Then； when the cable came； I knew they
were bound to make a move。〃
〃What cable？〃
Carruthers took a telegram from his pocket 〃That's it；〃 said he。
It was short and concise：
THE OLD MAN IS DEAD。
〃Hum！〃 said Holmes。 〃I think I see how things worked； and I can
understand how this message would； as you say； bring them to a head。
But while you wait； you might tell me what you can。
The old reprobate with the surplice burst into a volley of bad
language。
〃By heaven！〃 said he； 〃if you squeal on us； Bob Carruthers； I'll
serve you as you served Jack Woodley。 You can bleat about the girl
to your heart's content； for that's your own affair； but if you
round on your pals to this plain…clothes copper； it will be the
worst day's work that ever you did。〃
〃Your reverence need not be excited；〃 said Holmes； lighting a
cigarette。 〃The case is clear enough against you； and all I ask is a
few details for my private curiosity。 However； if there's any
difficulty in your telling me； I'll do the talking； and then you
will see how far you have a chance of holding back your secrets。 In
the first place； three of you came from South Africa on this game… you
Williamson； you Carruthers； and Woodley。〃
〃Lie number one；〃 said the old man； 〃I never saw either of them
until two months ago； and I have never been in Africa in my life； so
you can put that in your pipe and smoke it； Mr。 Busybody Holmes！〃
〃What he says is true；〃 said Carruthers。
〃Well； well； two of you came over。 His reverence is our own homemade
article。 You had known Ralph Smith in South Africa。 You had reason
to believe he would not live long。 You found out that his niece
would inherit his fortune。 How's that… eh？〃
Carruthers nodded and Williamson swore。
〃She was next of kin； no doubt； and you were aware that the old
fellow would make no will。〃
〃Couldn't read or write；〃 said Carruthers。
〃So you came over； the two of you； and hunted up the girl。 The
idea was that one of you was to marry her； and the other have a
share of the plunder。 For some reason； Woodley was chosen as the
husband。 Why was that？〃
〃We played cards for her on the voyage。 He won。〃
〃I see。 You got the young lady into your service； and there
Woodley was to do the courting。 She recognized the drunken brute
that he was； and would have nothing to do with him。 Meanwhile； your
arrangement was rather upset by the fact that you had yourself
fallen in love with the lady。 You could no longer bear the idea of
this ruffian owning her？〃
〃No； by George； I couldn't！〃
〃There was a quarrel between you。 He left you in a rage； and began
to make his own plans independently of you。〃
〃It strikes me； Williamson； there isn't very much that we can tell
this gentleman；〃 cried Carruthers； with a bitter laugh。 〃Yes； we
quarreled； and he knocked me down。 I am level with him on that；
anyhow。 Then I lost sight of him。 That was when he picked up with this
outcast padre here。 I found that they had set up housekeeping together
at this place on the line that she had to pass for the station。 I kept
my eye on her after that； for I knew there was some devilry in the
wind。 I saw them from time to time； for I was anxious to know what
they were after。 Two days ago Woodley came up to my house with this
cable； which showed that Ralph Smith was dead。 He asked me if I
would stand by the bargain。 I said I would not。 He a